Bunim/Murray Productions has signed an exclusive production deal with former Zodiak USA chief creative officer and CEO Joel Karsberg. Under the pod deal with Karsberg’s new company, Kreativ Inc., he will develop and produce unscripted formats for BMP.
Jesse Daniels, former director of development at Entertainment One (eOne), joins Kreativ as VP of development.
Banijay Group’s Bunim/Murray Productions (BMP) is the producer of unscripted franchises such asThe Real World, Project Runway and Keeping Up with the Kardashians,
MTV recently announced Kreativ Inc. and Bunim/Murray’s first series together, MTV Undressed, which will premiere on Aug. 16. Karsberg will be showrunner, and Banijay Rights will distribute the series internationally.
“Joel is a veteran unscripted executive with vast knowledge of international formats that not only travel but will also play well here in the United States,” said Gil Goldschein, CEO of BMP. “The pod model has been successful for BMP, contributing to the nearly 30 new series we have launched in the past two years. We are confident that Joel, Jesse and Kreativ Inc. will enable us to continue to expand into new areas of programming.”
At Zodiak USA, also a Banijay Group company, Karsberg led development with a focus on adapting unscripted international formats for the U.S. market. He was an executive producer on Celebrity Wife Swap (ABC) and Planet Primetime (Travel Channel). Prior to joining Zodiak USA in 2014, Karsberg was chief creative officer at Zodiak Nordic and chairman of Zodiak´s international development board.
“It is a true honor for me to partner with Bunim/Murray Productions, the cradle of reality TV and home to some of the most important franchises of unscripted television in the world,” said Karsberg. “I am certain that this is the start of a great and prolific relationship.”
